David Oyelowo Has a Solution for Men Who Say There’s No #MeToo Redemption (Video)

Actor David Oyelowo said that many men want to be a part of the #MeToo movement, but they have a fear of saying the wrong thing and worry that their careers can be ended if they don’t.

Speaking on a panel during a lunch conversation about “Bringing Men Into the Conversation,” Oyelowo said men often use this fear as an excuse to not speak out at all. As a means of making the MeToo movement more inclusive, the “Selma” actor stressed the need for nuance and to step away from the black-and-white conversations that crop up on social media.

“There are a lot of men who are for this movement, but literally on the basis of knowing we are in an environment, things can be said, again, wrongly or rightly, that could end me,” Oyelowo said. “There is no latitude, there is no space, for the idea that… there is an element of, it feels like there’s a mob. And there are people who are using that as an excuse. And there are times where that is a genuine fear that is then validated time after time. What we have to figure out is how to make this not feel like a mob.”

The panel also featured Joanne Lipman, author of “That’s What She Said: What Men Need to Know (and Women Need to Tell Them),” and Scott Budnick, producer of “The Hangover” and founder of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition. Lipman mentioned that one of the primary reasons men do not engage with conversations about sexual harassment is fear of saying the wrong thing.

Oyelowo added that he’s spoken with many actresses and women who share that same fear.

“Is this going to be some kind of rejection of my sisterhood? This newfound camaraderie and closeness,” Oyelowo said. “I’ve talked to so many actresses, one of the things they appreciate the most about this movement, people who they have been in competition with all their careers, and that’s just the way it is, and suddenly there’s this camaraderie, there is something so edifying about that that they literally don’t want to break that up. That in and of itself is not a reason to have this atmosphere of no room for nuance and not entertaining and not talking about how this segues into redemption.”

Oyelowo said there are men who believe the MeToo movement has become “synonymous with the lack of entertainment of an idea of redemption.” He made a comparison to criminals on death row after the audience applauded the idea of making the death penalty illegal, saying that while it may not be pretty, considering the ideas of “redemption” and “exoneration” may be necessary to sustain the gains the MeToo movement has made.

“Those people who are on death row, some of them have done terrible things. It doesn’t mean that their entire lives should be literally snatched,” Oyelowo said at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit Friday. “I think if you ask my honest opinion, this movement needs to segue into being synonymous with at least entertaining the idea of redemption, of people being not sentenced to life sentences or exoneration on the basis of what they may or may not have done.”

Asked by Lipman if he fears a looming backlash to the movement, Oyelowo said he has “real concerns.”

“We are at, in my opinion, at the apex of a pendulum swing,” Oyelowo said. “And it will swing the other way. It’s a question of how many gains we can have in place when the pendulum begins to swing, and how much those new systems, those new mindsets, that shift in combat, is able to combat the inevitable pendulum swing.”

He described a conversation he had with two female executives over hiring a director for a project. Both women agreed that they did not want to hire a “white dude” to direct, that the director had to be a woman or person of color.

“I thought, is that pervasive? Because I can tell you for a fact, there are a lot of those white dudes who consider this a nuclear cloud that will pass. And they are in bunkers waiting for it to pass,” Oyelowo said. “If we do to them what basically we are saying they did to us, it will not go well for us. Two wrongs simply do not make a right.”

Watch a clip of Oyelowo’s chat above.

The Scene at Power Women Summit 2018: Anita Hill, Alyssa Milano, HAIM and More at TheWrap's Leadership Event (Photos)

TheWrap's 2018 Power Women Summit, which is dedicated to The Road to 50/50 gender parity in the workplace by 2020, was held Nov. 1-2 at the Intercontinental Downtown Los Angeles hotel. Powerful female leaders from entertainment, media, politics and more converged at the event.

Alyssa Milano sits down with Barbara Boxer and Nicole Boxer for the live "The Boxer Podcast."

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Anita Hill gives the keynote remarks, "Changing the System," during Day 2 of the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Actress Felicity Jones speaks with USC's Dr. Stacy Smith about her film "On the Basis of Sex."

Photo by Randy Shropshire

The HAIM sisters discuss gender pay inequality.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Barbara Boxer and Nicole Boxer arrive at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Actress and activist Zoe Saldana during the Activism and Empowering the Next Generation panel during Day 2 of the 2018 Power Women Summit.

Photo by Randy Shopshire

Anita Hill delivers her keynote speech.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Model and activist Emily Ratajkowski at the second day of the 2018 Power Women Summit.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Tarana Burke, #MeToo movement founder, and Mira Sorvino during the #MeToo and Tribute to Survivors panel at the second day of TheWrap’s 2018 Power Women Summit.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Sharon Waxman introduces the first day of events at the Power Women Summit 2018.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

The Kaplan Twins pose with their displayed artwork at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Artwork by Connecticut artist Nina Harris in the lobby during the networking cocktail party on the opening night of the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Artwork leading into registration at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Jen Lowery

Registration for the Power Women Summit 2018 at the Intercontinental Downtown Los Angeles.

Photo by Jen Lowery

Registration for the Power Women Summit 2018 at the Intercontinental Downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 2018.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Artwork in the lobby during the networking cocktail party on the opening night of the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Artwork in the lobby during the networking cocktail party on the opening night of the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety set up a booth at the Power Women Summit 2018.

Photo by Ted Soqui

Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety set up a booth at the Power Women Summit 2018.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety set up a booth at the Power Women Summit 2018.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Artwork in the lobby during the networking cocktail party on the opening night of the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Lisa Connor

Neon light artwork by Roxy Rose at the Power Women Summit at the Intercontinental Downtown Los Angeles on Nov. 1, 2018.

Photo by Lisa Connor

The Kaplan Twins pose in front of their featured artwork.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Artwork from Jana Cruder at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Artwork from local Los Angeles artist Olga Lah in the lobby during the networking cocktail party on the opening night of the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Attendees with their Power Women swag bags.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Artist Meghan Quinn poses with her artwork at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Attendees at the Power Women Summit 2018.

Photo by Ted Soqui

Attendees pose for a photo in the lobby at the Power Women Summit 2018.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

TheWrap founder and CEO Sharon Waxman introduces the evening program of Day 1 of the Power Women Summit inside the 50/50 Ballroom.

Marisa Corvo and Diane Warren perform in the 50/50 Ballroom at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ted Soqui

Diane Warren performs at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Marisa Corvo performs at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Marisa Corvo and Diane Warren at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Trace Lysette gives a speech at the Power Women Summit, "Coming Soon: Great Roles for Women."

Photo by Ella DeGea

Vice Media's Nancy Dubuc speaks in a Keynote panel, "Women at the Top - The Decision Maker," in conversation with Sharon Waxman.

Photo by Ella DeGea

The Keynote panel at the Power Women Summit, "What It's Like to Be First," moderated by Jo Ling Kent.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Sherry Lansing speaks on the keynote panel, "What It's Like to be First."

Photo by Ella DeGea

Maria Contreras-Sweet speaks on the panel discussion, "What It's Like to Be First."

Photo by Ella DeGea

American sabre fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad speaks on the panel discussion, "What It's Like to Be First."

Photo by Ella DeGea

Christine Simmons of the WNBA LA Sparks speaks on the panel discussion, "What It's Like to Be First."

Photo by Ella DeGea

Bria Smith and Jaclyn Corin of March for Our Lives accept the Voice of the Future Award.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Bria Smith and Jaclyn Corin of March for Our Lives accept the Voice of the Future Award.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

The scene at the SAG-AFTRA Guild Roundtable discussing "Picture Gender Equality: How Fair Pay and More Roles for Women in Hollywood Can Shift Culture."

Photo by Randy Shropshire

The scene at the SAG-AFTRA Guild Roundtable discussing "Picture Gender Equality: How Fair Pay and More Roles for Women in Hollywood Can Shift Culture."

Photo by Randy Shropshire

The scene at the SAG-AFTRA Guild Roundtable discussing "Picture Gender Equality: How Fair Pay and More Roles for Women in Hollywood Can Shift Culture."

Photo by Randy Shropshire

The scene at the mentorship session at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ted Soqui

The scene at the mentorship session at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ted Soqui

The scene at the mentorship session at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ted Soqui

Attendees at the closing of the Power Women Summit and Kickback Party.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Political Activists, Paulina Luco and Patricia Leiva, at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ella DeGea

Artist Anne Bray interacting with attendees at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ted Soqui

Attendees at the closing of the Power Women Summit and Kickback Party.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

Artwork by Lila Hawk at the Power Women Summit.

Photo by Ted Soqui

The scene at the closing of the Power Women Summit and Kickback Party.

Photo by Ted Soqui

Attendees at the closing of the Power Women Summit and Kickback Party.

Photo by Ted Soqui

Attendees at the closing of the Power Women Summit and Kickback Party.

Photo by Randy Shropshire

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Power Women Summit: The Road to 50/50 by 2020 is held Nov. 1-2 at The Intercontinental Downtown Los Angeles

TheWrap's 2018 Power Women Summit, which is dedicated to The Road to 50/50 gender parity in the workplace by 2020, was held Nov. 1-2 at the Intercontinental Downtown Los Angeles hotel. Powerful female leaders from entertainment, media, politics and more converged at the event.